May 18, 2012, 3:53PM

05/18/2012

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Q: What is strong and comes in small portions only, is available in just a few locations, and requires a wait in long lines after many months?

Oh, and you can't buy it now and won't be able to for nearly a year.

If you're a beer lover you likely already know.

2012: Pliny The Younger Release At Russian River Brewing Co.

Hundreds of people lined up early Friday morning for the release of Pliny the Younger at the The Russian River Brewing Company on Friday, February 3, 2012.

Hundreds of people lined up early Friday morning for the release of Pliny the Younger at the The Russian River Brewing Company on Friday, February 3, 2012.

Friends from southern California picked up another friend who flew in from Alabama and started driving at 1:30 a.m. Friday morning for the release of Pliny the Younger at the The Russian River Brewing Company.

The Russian River Brewing Company released Pliny the Younger on Friday, February 3, 2012.

Vinnie and Natalie Chilurzo, right, with friends at the annual release of Pliny the Younger at the Russian River Brewing Company released on Friday, February 3, 2012.

Erik Melquist, right, of Torrance and Ryan Tuttle of Redondo Beach enjoy a morning beer after they drove all night from southern California for the release of Pliny the Younger at the Russian River Brewing Company on Friday, February 3, 2012.

Panoramic view of the line in front of the Russian River Brewing Company on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa awaiting the opening for Pliny the Younger beer Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. Jeff Kan Lee/ PD

Friends from southern California picked up another friend who flew in from Alabama and started driving at 1:30 a.m. Friday morning for the release of Pliny the Younger at the The Russian River Brewing Company.

The line in front of the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa extended to the west on Fourth Street awaiting the opening for Pliny the Younger beer Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. Jeff Kan Lee/ PD

The line in front of the Russian River Brewing Company on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa awaiting the opening for Pliny the Younger beer, Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. Jeff Kan Lee/ PD

This year, according to BeerAdvocate, it is Pliny the Younger, the Russian River Brewing Co.'s wunderkind craft brew.

The ultra-hoppy, limited edition Triple India Pale Ale is released once a year and sells out in a couple of weeks. The release in February drew hundreds of fans to Santa Rosa from around the country and beyond.

"It's a magnificent beer," said Ken Weaver, a beer writer and author of the "The Northern California Craft Beer Guide."

At the brewery's Fourth Street pub, manager and bartender Gabe Rivera was pleased but took the news in stride.

Q: What is strong and comes in small portions only, is available in just a few locations, and requires a wait in long lines after many months?

Oh, and you can't buy it now and won't be able to for nearly a year.

If you're a beer lover you likely already know.

The answer is: The world's best beer.

This year, according to BeerAdvocate, it is Pliny the Younger, the Russian River Brewing Co.'s wunderkind craft brew.

The ultra-hoppy, limited edition Triple India Pale Ale is released once a year and sells out in a couple of weeks. The release in February drew hundreds of fans to Santa Rosa from around the country and beyond.

"It's a magnificent beer," said Ken Weaver, a beer writer and author of the "The Northern California Craft Beer Guide."

At the brewery's Fourth Street pub, manager and bartender Gabe Rivera was pleased but took the news in stride.

"This is, what, the third year," he said.

It's the fourth, actually.

BeerAdvocate is a website for beer lovers that aims, among other things, to "wake the masses to better beer options."

Its rankings are determined by a system that breaks down and analyzes the beer reviews posted by people who use the site.